Those who do commit what is now a crime can be sentenced to prison for a year up to three years.
Middle East Eye notes that this bill’s passage comes roughly eight months before Turkey’s upcoming presidential election, which the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is trailing in the polls at the moment. The majority of the 333-seat parliamentary voted in favor of this bill.
‘The legislation comprises 40 amendments that each required a separate vote. The law imposes a criminal penalty for those found guilty of spreading false or misleading information, and requires social networks and internet sites to hand over personal details of users suspected of “propagating misleading information,'” Middle East Eye further noted.
Turkey has already been tightening its grip on what people can print and share online for some years, such as already striking down particular advertisements and ‘opposition-linked’ media outlets. Moreover, mocking and insulting Erdogan can cause a person to be jailed for 1-4 years. Thousands have reportedly been imprisoned for daring to speak-out against Erdogan since the eight years he has reigned.
‘Turkey is also among the top jailers of journalists globally and has frequently been criticised by western countries and rights groups over its human rights record,’ Middle East Eye wrote. 90% of the media in Turkey is state-affiliated, cited from the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index.
The WinePress has noted before that Turkey has been dealing with a slew of economic issues that are only forecast to get even worse, as with the rest of the world.
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AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[6] Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. [7] All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.Proverbs 19:6-7
Turkey, like everyone else, is clamping down on what people can and cannot say. Only their truth they manufacture out of thin-air is allowed. Here in America we have a Fascist media: where the big corporations drown-out the true independents and act as the strongarm for the government; whereas Communist media like Turkey or China is state-ran and directly funded by them, and everything must go through their approval.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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